I am reading the online digital edition of this week's Army Times and it has an article of Reservists/Guardsman who are looking to mobilize since they cannot find suitable civilian full-time employment. Here is an excerpt.

Relyingon

Uncle Sam Many reservists volunteer
to mobilize when they fail to get a civilian job — but military demand is
dwindling

By Andrew Tilghman

atilghman@militarytimes.com
Leaving the Navy was tougher than Ashley Perona expected.
Like many veterans, she struggled to find employment after separating in 2008,
even though at first being jobless did not cause undue hardship.

No surprise. Guaranteed that's why many newbies to the forums inquire about active duty opportunities right off the bat.

Although I am skeptical that person couldn't find a job in the course of 2 years. More like, couldn't find a job that made her feel like getting up in the morning every day. $1800/mo for doing nothing isn't a bad deal.

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I tell my troops all the time that combat is all about not screwing up so everyone can get back in one piece. Rarely is there any clarity to it, and you just hope you don't hose something up where someone gets hurt.

This +1000

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I know this is a little off topic, but, is it really so bad to want to be deployed and fight? I mean, my recruiter has been in the military for over 20 years. Started in the Navy as a SEAL after being kicked out of college. He could get promoted without a degree and couldn't do college due to the SEALs. Re-enlisted in the Guard, did a deployment or so and after all this time, he's volunteering for another deployment.

I want to deploy to fight. That's the whole reason I enlisted. I know it's bad. I have had some much family in the Military and they all have deployed and one is now.

But, honestly, is it really immature and bad to want to deploy? I'm very curious.

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No, I don't think it's a bad thing to want to be in on the action. The immaturity part comes in when Soldiers "say" they want to without understanding what it really means. Most deployments, if not all, revolve around some sort of conflict. It's war and it's ugly. If you understand that people will die on both sides and you may even see that happen first hand, and you STILL "want" to deploy, I say you joining the military is a logical decision.

No, I don't think it's a bad thing to want to be in on the action. The immaturity part comes in when Soldiers "say" they want to without understanding what it really means. Most deployments, if not all, revolve around some sort of conflict. It's war and it's ugly. If you understand that people will die on both sides and you may even see that happen first hand, and you STILL "want" to deploy, I say you joining the military is a logical decision.

Thank you. You summed it up perfectly. Nothing wrong with wanting to fight for your country but many young men have this video game mindset and think that warfare is glamorous and exciting.

I have been seeing violence since I was a 5-year old growing up in Spanish Harlem. There is nothing great about combat besides it being dangerous and you can get killed from it. Also, just because you serve in the combat arms in the National Guard does not guarantee that you will deploy and fight in combat and earn a CIB/CAB. I was in the combat arms for 6 years in my early years of military service and never experienced combat or a deployment. Only when I became an MP decades later; did it happen in Iraq and it is scary as doodoo. I even earned a second CAB as a Signal Warrant but it was not from the type of combat I experienced as an MP. Only due to an IDF. But you only could get one CAB when you serve in the same theater. And Iraq and Afghanistan both fall under CENTCOM.

When you have that mature understanding of war and combat; then you will have better respect for life in general.

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I think I know what y'all mean now. If you join just to kill people and say you've killed someone, it's not right.
I joined to serve. I will admit, when I was young (pre-teen years) I wanted the thrill of the fight. But now I'm 18, I want to join and deploy to better myself, my future, my education, my fitness, and also, deploy and fight the enemies of the USA and state of Louisiana, foreign or domestic. I know combat is well, combat. Having friends and family within the Military, they've all told me about combat. It really doesn't mean I'm "prepared" for combat, but I have a understanding of it.

I think I know what y'all mean now. If you join just to kill people and say you've killed someone, it's not right.
I joined to serve. I will admit, when I was young (pre-teen years) I wanted the thrill of the fight. But now I'm 18, I want to join and deploy to better myself, my future, my education, my fitness, and also, deploy and fight the enemies of the USA and state of Louisiana, foreign or domestic. I know combat is well, combat. Having friends and family within the Military, they've all told me about combat. It really doesn't mean I'm "prepared" for combat, but I have a understanding of it.

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I agree. War is not productive but rather a sad thing. I saw war torn Kuwait in 1991. I experienced the nastiness of oil fields burning in Kuwait. Took a drive via the "Highway of Death" and saw lots of destroyed vehicles and ordanance laying around the sand. Got to see a room where people were tortured. Burned out buildings, gutted buildings and shattered bullet riddled windows. The population trying to recover from Saddam's grip on that country. Not to mention, the anticipation of getting to theatre to deliver explosives, JP-5, heavy tracked vehicles and a bunch of other hardware. If we hit a sea mine, or get shot at with missles in the straits of hormuz, we would probably desintegrate in an instant. I got spared seeing the gore and the carnage part of it. And honeslty speaking, I hope I never see it in my life time.